Apparatus for splitting blocks



Feb. 16, 1960 c. E. SMITH APPARATUS FOR SPLITTING BLOCKS Filed July 10,1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

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INVENTCR Charles Emerson Smith ATTORNEYS Feb. 16, 1960 c. E. SMITHAPPARATUS FOR SPLITTING BLOCKS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 10, 1958 on wmm mm h l m 5 H 00 N mm VE ms 8 H 0 h C BY F/W Jim Jim [ATTORNEYS C. E.SMITH APPARATUS FOR SPLITTING BLOCKS Feb. 16, 1960 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed July 10', 1958 Fig. 3.

v INVENTOR Charles Emerson Smith 7' BY ma d/12,

ATTORNEYS Feb. 16, 1960 c. E. SMITH 2,925,080

APPARATUS FOR SPLITTING BLOCKS Filed July 10, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I'2" LL INVENTOR Charles Emerson Smith BY W, Julia/11a 09% ATTORNEY S Feb.16, 1960 c. E. SMITH 2,925,080

' APPARATUS FOR SPLITTING BLOCKS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 10, 1958APPARATUS FOR SPLITTING BLOCKS Charles Emerson Smith, Dallas, Tex.,assignor to Texas Industries, Inc., Dallas, Tex., a corporation ofDelaware Application July 10, 1958, Serial No. 747,777

11 Claims. (Cl. 125-23) The invention relates to apparatus for splittingblocks and more particularly to an automatic apparatus for receiving,indexing and splitting concrete blocks.

The invention has among its objects the provision of apparatus whichwill receive a plurality of blocks and automatically advance andaccurately split the blocks without requiring any manual labor otherthan the placing of the blocks on the apparatus. Another object of theinvention is to provide such apparatus which will receive a plurality ofblocks at random and advance them in timed sequence with the splittingmechanism. A further object of the invention is to provide suchapparatus which will automatically and correctly align each block withrespect to the splitting mechanism before advancing the block thereto.Still another object of the invention is to provide such an apparatuswhich will positively advance each block to the splitting mechanism andsimultaneously withdraw a split block from said mechanism. An additionalobject is to provide such a positive advancing means which will preventinadvertent engagement with a next succeeding block by the advancingmeans after advancement of the preceding block to the splittingmechanism.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in parthereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom.

In accordance with the foregoing objects the invention comprises, inbrief, a long table-like frame upon which is mounted a block splittingmechanism and the means for receiving and advancing the blocks to saidmechanism. Preferably, the advancing means comprise a plurality ofendless belts, or the like, upon which the blocks may be initially,placed at random. To assure proper advancement of the blocks anescapement mechanism, or other stop means, is provided whereby therandomly placed blocks are properly aligned and their advancement to thesplitting mechanism controlled. Positive feeding means are providedwhich engage each block after it leaves the escapement mechanism andpushes the block into position underneath the knife of the splittingmechanism. To save space and increase the number of blocks which may beplaced on the apparatus at one time, the blocks may be placed in anupright position resting on one side. In such a case means are providedfor toppling the blocks from their upright position to a flat positionbefore being placed under the splitting knife. To insure proper feedingof the blocks to the splitting mechanism, the escapement mechanism, thepositive feeding means and the movable splitting knife are sointerconnected that only on block at a time will be inserted under theknife.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the apparatus showing the generalarrangement of a preferred embodiment;

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken along the center line of Figure 2along the line 3-3 looking in the direction of the arrows;

"United States Patent ice Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of aportion of the apparatus; and

Figure 5 is another schematic perspective view of a portion of theapparatus.

Referring now to the drawings for a detailed description of a preferredembodiment of the invention shown therein, and referring at first toFigure 1, there is shown a longitudinally extending table-like frame 10formed in any suitable manner from the usual structural steel elements.As shown, the table-like frame 10 is formed so as to receive a pluralityof concrete blocks 12, or the like, at one end and to advance the blockslongitudinally toward the opposite end of the frame. For this purpose,the left and central portions of the table 10 (as shown in Figures 1 and2) are provided with a plurality of endless belts 14, 16, 18 upon whichthe blocks are placed and which advance the blocks to an intermediateplatform, or station 20. From this station, a pair of oscillatory leverarms 22 engage the blocks and advance them to the splitting mechanism 24and from the splitting mechanism to a final collecting platform orstation 26.

The endless belts may advantageously be arranged into three separatepairs although such a number is not essential. In the form of theinvention shown in the drawings the first pair of endless belts 14 aredisposed over a plurality of rollers 28 each mounted on an individualshaft 30 positioned transversely with respect to the side members 32 ofthe table-like frame 10. The driving pulleys 34 for this first pair ofbelts 14 are mounted on a transverse drive shaft 36. A tension roller 38mounted between pivotable lever arms 40 secured to the side members 32of the frame 10 bears against the belt 14 and provides suitable tensionto insure proper frictional drive on the pulleys 34.

The second pair of endless belts 16 are each disposed outwardly of thefirst pair of belts 14 and are each disposed upon a pair of pulleys 42,44. The larger driving pulleys 42 are mounted on a transverse rotatabledrive shaft 46 while the idler pulleys 44 are loosely mounted on thedriving shaft 36 for the first pair of belts 14. A rigid and stationarycrosspiece in the form of a suitable plate-like member 43 is disposedjust beneath the tops of the belts 16 to support the blocks as they areadvanced and a second tension pulley 50, similar to that previouslydescribed with respect to the first pair of belts, is mounted on theframe 10 and bears against the second pair of belts 16 to properlytension them.

The third pair of endless belts 13, like the first pair of belts 14, isdisposed inwardly of the second pair 16 and are mounted on a pair ofidler pulleys 52 mounted on the drive shaft 46 for the second pair ofbelts and a pair of driving pulleys 54 mounted on a short drive shaft 56positioned adjacent the central portion of the frame. A similar tensionpulley 58 is provided for the third pair of belts as in the case of thefirst and second pair.

Power to drive the belts is supplied from an electric motor 60 mountedon a platform 62 positioned underneath a collecting platform or station26. The motor is connected by suitable pulleys 66, 68 and an endlessbelt 70 to a speed changing mechanism 72 which, in turn, is connectedthrough an endless chain 73 and pulleys 74, 76 to a transverse rotatableshaft 78 positioned directly underneath the splitting mechanism 80. Therotatable shaft 78 is in turn connected by an endless chain 82 and thepulleys 34, 85 to another rotatable shaft 86 which serves as a driveshaft for the oscillating lever arms 22. From the shaft 86 power istransferred to an intermediate drive shaft 90 located at the same level.through the chain 94 and the pulleys 93, 95. Power is taken off theshaft 90 by the chain 96 and pulleys 97, 54 on drive shaft 56 to drivethe third pair of endless belts 18 and also by the pulleys 98, 100 andchain 102 to drive the. shaft 46 and the second pair of belts 16. Thedrive shaft aaasoso 46 for the second pair of belts is in turn connectedto the drive shaft 36 for the first pair of endless belts by the pulleys104, 106 and endless chain 108. The sizes of the various pulleys are sodesigned asto cause the first pair of belts 14 to travel at a speedgreater than the second pair of belts 16 so that blocks 12 randomlyplaced on'the first set of belts close up together as they advance tothe second pair of belts. At the same time, the speed of the third pairof belts is made much greater than either the first or second pair ofbelts so that the feeding of the blocks to the splitting mechanism 81will take place quickly and rapidly thereby giving a suflicient amountof time between successive blocks to enable all parts of the apparatusto carry out their functions easily. It will be understood that whilethis arrangement of the various belt speeds is particularlyadvantageous, other arrangements could be employed without departingfrom the invention.

Another advantageous, but optional, feature of the invention is that thethird pair of belts 18 is disposed at a level below that of the secondpair of belts 16. Accordingly, the blocks 12 to be split may be placedon the apparatus in an upright position resting on one side therebysaving space and permitting a greater number of blocks to be placed onthe machine at one time. When the blocks pass from the second pair ofbelts to the third pair of belts the difference in level causes theblocks to topple from an upright position to a fiat position (as shownin Figure 3). The blocks are then in proper position for the splittingoperation.

To assure proper control over the feeding of the blocks to the splittingmechanism 81) there is provided adjacent the forward end of the secondpair of belts an escapemcnt mechanism 110 which may advantageouslycomprise a multi-finger star wheel or paddle 112. The

length of the fingers of the star wheel are sufficiently long to causethem to extend upwardly beyond the level of the second pair of belts 16.Thus, as the blocks are advanced forwardly by the second pair of beltstheir lower edge portions will contact the fingers of the star wheel andtheir forward advance will be halted. Rotation of the star wheel 112 iscontrolled by a pivotable pawl 114 having a stop member 116 whichengages the lower finger, or paddle, of the mechanism so as to preventrotation thereof. At its opposite end the pawl 114 is secured to a link11? which is, in turn, secured to. a long lever arm 12!) pivotallymounted on a shaft 122. A rotatable cam follower is provided at the endof the long lever arm 120 and engages the peripheral surface of a largeyoke 126 slidably mounted on the circumference of a large eccentric 128.The eccentric is fixed to the shaft 86 so as to rotate therewith androtation of the shaft 86 causes the eccentric 123 to slide within theyoke 126 and move the yoke back and forth as shown in phantom in Figure3.

The yoke 126 is connected by adjustable mechanism, such as a turn buckle130 or the like, to a shaft 132 mounted between the oscillatory leverarms 22. The lever arms 22 are mounted for pivotal movement at theirlower ends on a shaft 134 so that the back and forth movement of theyoke 126 causes the lever arms 22 to pivot between the extreme positionsshown in Figure 3. Additionally, the pivotal shaft 132 on which thelever arms are mounted is connected by a pivotal link 136 to shaft 138mounted in bearings on brackets 140 secured to the lower portion of theframe 10. The shaft 134 is connected through an adjustable linkage 142to a pivoted lever 144 carrying a cam follower 146. The cam follower 146on this lever engages with a cam 148 mounted on the rotatable shaft 78for the splitting mechanism 80 and the configuration of the cam is suchas to cause the pivotal lever to pivot in a vertical direction about itsshaft pivot pin 149 and thus through the adjustable link, 142 raise andlower the pivotal shaft 134 for the lever arms 22 and the lever armsthemselves. In this manner,

the engaging fingers 150 of the upper ends of the lever arms 22 have aforward stroke which passes through the plane of a block resting on theintermediate station, or platform 26, but in the return stroke thefingers 150 are withdrawn below the platform and, hence, do notinterfere with any succeeding blocks which may inadvertently be advancedto the platform The splitting mechanism for the block comprises a knifearrangement having a heavily weighted movable upper blade 152 and astationary lower blade 154. The upper blade 152 is mounted between apair of parallelly disposed arms 158 threaded through their upperportions 153 so as to provide for adjustment of the blade. Verticalmovement of the arms 158 is effected by slidable movement of the arms inguide casings 156 provided at the sides of the frame 10 and the arms 158are connected at their lower ends to a Pitman 160 mounted on aneccentric 162 fixed to the rotatable shaft 78. The eccentric 162 isdisposed in opposite phase to the cam 148 for the oscillatory lever arms22 so that movement of the upper blade 152 cannot be effected untilafter the advancing stroke of the lever arms 22 has been completed. Thedownward movement of the knife on the splitting stroke thus takes placeduring the return stroke of the lever arms.

The operation of the device is as follows: The blocks :12 are placed atrandom on the first pair of endless belts 14 and are advanced by thesebelts to the second pair of belts 16. Because of the differential in thespeed of the belts 14, 16 the blocks tend to bunch up on to the secondbelt and they are finally moved together when the first block enages theescapement Wheel 112. During the time the blocks are held back fromadvancement by the escapement mechanism they slide on the second pair ofbelts.

At the proper time the large eccentric 128 controlling the operation ofthe lever arms 22 moves the pawl 114 out of engagement with the fingersso as to permit the wheel 112 to rotate through one quarter of arevolution. This permits one block to pass from the second pair of belts16 to the third pair of belts 18 where it is rapidly conveyed to theintermediate platform or station 26. Here it is engaged by the fingerson the lever arms as the arms are moved forward by the eccentric 128.The block is thus positively advanced to a point where its mid sectionis exactly under the upper knife blade 152. Thereafter, in propersequence, the knife blade 152 is dropped down to fracture the block-theplatform 26 yielding under pressure by reason of the spring mounts166the next succeeding block is released by the escapement mechanism110, conveyed to the intermediate. station 20 and advanced by the leverarms 22 to the knife, the advancement of this block acting to force thebroken block from underneath the knife and to the collecting station 26.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specificmechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefromwithin the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from theprinciples of the invention and without sacrificing its chiefadvantages.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for splitting blocks comprising a periodically actuatedrotary escapement mechanism eng-ageable with the lower forward edge ofsuccessive blocks, a forwardly moving substantially horizontal surfaceon which the blocks are supported on one side as they are fed to therotary escapement mechanism, a second substantially horizontalsupporting surface moving forwardly at a faster rate to receive and moveblocks supported thereon after they have been released by the rotaryescapement mechanism, said second surface being lower than the firstsurface whereby the blocks are turned from one face to another as theyare released by the rotary escapement mechanism and descend to thesecond surface, a movable splitting knife for splitting the blocks andpositive feeding means for advancing the blocks one at a time to theknife after the blocks have been advanced from the escapement mechanism.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the positive feeding meansis operated in timed relation to the splitting knife and is adapted tofeed the successive blocks to a definite position with respect to theknife.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the escapement mechanismis actuated in timed sequence with the splitting knife.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which the positive feeding meansis actuated in timed sequence with the splitting knife.

5. Apparatus for splitting blocks comprising a periodically actuatedrotary escapement mechanism, forwardly moving horizontal feeding meansfor receiving and advancing blocks to engage at their lower forwardedges with the escapement mechanism, a movable splitting knife forsplitting the blocks, positive feeding means for advancing the blocksone at a time to the knife after the blocks have been released by theescapement mechanism, and rapidly moving horizontal feeding means foradvancing one block from the escapement mechanism to the positivefeeding means while said feeding means is advancing another block to theknife, said third feeding means being at a lower level than said firstfeeding means whereby the blocks are turned from one face to another asthey are released by the rotary escapement mechanism onto the thirdfeeding means.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in which the positive feeding meanscomprises a reciprocating lever traveling in the plane of a block duringits advance stroke and traveling beneath the plane of a block on itsreturn stroke.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which the positive feeding meansis operated in timed relation to the splitting knife and is adapted tofeed the successive blocks to a definite position with respect to theknife.

8. Apparatus for splitting blocks comprising a periodically actuatedrotary escapement mechanism, first forwardly moving feeding means forreceiving and advancing blocks, second forwardly moving substantiallyhori zontal feeding means for receiving the blocks from the firstfeeding means and advancing the blocks to engage at their lower forwardedges with the escapement mechanism, said second feeding means moving ata speed less than the speed of the first feeding means, means at a lowerlevel than said second feeding means for advancing the blocks as theblocks are received from the escapement mechanism, a movable splittingknife for splitting the blocks, and positive feeding means for advancingthe blocks one at a time to the knife after the blocks have beenadvanced from the escapement mechanism.

9. Apparatus for splitting blocks comprising periodically actuatedrotary escapement mechanism, forwardly moving feeding means forreceiving and advancing blocks to engage at their lower forward edgeswith the escapement mechanism in an upright position, means for topplingthe blocks from their upright position to a lower fiat position afterthe blocks have been released from the escapement mechanism, means foradvancing the blocks in a flat position, a movable splitting knife forsplitting the blocks and positive feeding means for advancing the blocksone at a time to the knife.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 in which the forwardly movingfeeding means comprises a moving endless belt and means for toppling theblocks from an upright to a fiat position, said means comprising asecond endless belt placed at a lower level than the first-mentionedendless belt so as to cause the blocks to topple from an uprightposition to a flat position in passing from the first belt to the secondbelt.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 in which the escapement mechanismis actuated in timed sequence with the splitting knife.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,465,050 Kinsley Aug. 14, 1923 2,356,120 Slightam Aug. 15, 19442,654,358 Lake Oct. 6, 1953

